Westfälische Friedenskonferenz: „Die Wirtschaft kann eine Rolle für nachhaltigen Frieden spielen“
On Friday, the 1st Westphalian Peace Conference will take place at Münster’s City Hall. Bild: dpa
100 mittelständische Unternehmen haben eine neue „Westfälische Friedenskonferenz“ gegründet. Am Freitag kommen dafür prominente Redner zusammen. Miele-Geschäftsführer Reinhard Zinkann erklärt für die Veranstalter, worum es geht.
Mr. Zinkann, although the Westphalian Peace Prize has only been awarded since 1998, it has already gained a reputation similar to the prestigious Aachen Charlemagne Prize. How did the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe (WWL) – a consortium of 100 companies and institutions – come up with the idea of establishing a peace prize?
Many heads of state and reigning monarchs traveled to Münster for the 350th anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia. It was obvious that something lasting should be created to highlight the connection between peace, economy, and prosperity. In the 17th century, Münster and Osnabrück were chosen as negotiation sites for the peace talks after the Thirty Years‘ War because it took about the same amount of time to travel there by horseback from both Stockholm and Madrid.